Citizens complete Given coup

02 February 2009 07:02

Manchester City have completed the signing of Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given from Newcastle United for an undisclosed fee.
The 32-year-old has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract at Eastlands, having decided to end a career spanning more than a decade on Tyneside.
A delighted Citizens boss Mark Hughes told his club's official website: "I have said for a long time that we need the experience of a keeper like Shay.
"I am delighted that we have been able to acquire such an accomplished keeper and one so highly regarded by everyone in the Premier League.
"We are getting a very good keeper and the experience he has will help the two outstanding young keepers that we have here in Joe Hart and Kasper Schmeichel.
"I am looking for them all to grow as a group and it's important that we have that influence of a senior keeper.
"I have had a good talk with him about where we expect to be in the future.
"From a football point of view and a club point of view, it's an easy thing to sell because we know we are going in the right direction. Players want to be part of that."
Given made more than 450 appearances for the Magpies, having joined the club for £1.5million from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 1997.